Convertible pneumatic cleaning apparatus



Feb. 25,1947. 0. H. TAYLOR CONVERTIBLE PNEUMATIC CLEANING APPARATUS Filed April 50, 1943. 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 llllll I.

INVENTOR CHRRLES H.Ta r|. oR.

I W A ORNEY WITNESSES:

Feb. 25, 1947. c. H. TAYLOR CONVERTIBLE PNEUMATIC CLEANING APPARATUS Filed April 50, 1943- 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ll 8 w M w 1 V. F

INVENTOR CHRRLEs H. TnYLoR.

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c. H. TAYLOR 2,416,417

CONVERTIBLE PNEUMATIC CLEANING APPARATUS Filed April 30, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 F'aq.11

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WITNESSES: INVENTOR I CHHIgtEs H. Tn LoR.

A TORNEY Feb. 25, 1947. AYLOR 2,416,417

CONVERTIBLE PNEUMATIC CLEANING APPARATUS Filed April 30, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 16.

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435! ii 5i A T'ORNEY Patented Feb. 25, 1947 CONVERTIBLE PNEUMATIC CLEANING APPARATUS Charles H. Taylor, Springfield, Mass, assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 30, 1943, Serial No. 185,185

11 Claims.

vMy invention relates to a suction cleaner, and more particularly to a suction cleaner which is readily convertible from floor-nozzle cleaning to attachment on-the-floor and off-the-floor cleaning, or to attachment blowing.

One object of my invention is to produce an improved suction cleaner of the type set forth.

A further object of my invention is to produce an improved converting mechanism for a cleaner of the type set forth, which is easy to manipulate.

A still further object of my invention is to produce a suction cleaner of the type set forth in which the converting mechanism is built into and forms part of the cleaner construction, while the means for actuating the converting mechanism from one operative position to the other is carried by the inner end of an attachment hose.

A still further object of my invention is to produce a converting mechanism which is moved from one operating position to another by a simple endwise movement of the inner end of said attachment hose.

duce an improved constructionwhich includes locking means for retaining said converting mechanism against unintended movement from any operative position to which it may have been adjusted, together with means for insuring the re- .turn of the converting mechanism to the position it occupies while the cleaner is used for floornozzle cleaning before the attachment hose can be disconnected from the cleaner.

The air valve arrangement shown herein for converting from floor nozzle cleaning to attach ment suction cleaning or attachment blowing is claimed in my Patent No. 2,375,331.

These and other objects are effected by my invention as will be apparent from the follow ingdescription and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view partly in elevation of a suction cleaner embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view on line IIII of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on line III-III Fig. 4 is a plan view of an adapter carried .by the inner end of an attachment hose and constituting the actuating means .ior adjusting the converting mechanism from one operative position to another;

A still further object of my invention is to pro- 2 Fig. 5 is aside elevation of the device shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a section on line VIVI of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged top plan view of a slide forming a part of the built-in converting mechanism, the same being shown detached;

' Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view on line VIII- VIII of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view on line IX-IX of Fig. 8; v

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a built in guiding and latching mechanism which cooperates with the converting mechanism of Fig. 4 and the insert of Fig. 7;

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of one of the parts shown in Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a section on line XIIXII of Fig. 11; Fig. 13 is a section on line XIIIXIII of Fig 11;

Fig. 14 is a'horizontal sectional view similar to Fig. 2 showing the insert of Fig. 4 introduced into the s'ide shown in Fig. 7 but with the suction cleaner adjusted to floor-nozzle cleaning;

Fig. 15 is a section on line XVXV of Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the suctioncleaner adjusted for attachment-hose suction;

Fig. 17 is a view similar to Fig. 14 but' showing the position which is assumed by the converting mechanism when the cleaner is used for attachment hose suction;

Fig. 18 is a view similar to Figs. 1 and 16 showing the cleaner being used for attachment blowing; and,

' I Fig. 19 is a view similar to Fig. 17 showing the position which is assumed by the converting mechanism when the cleaner is used for attachment blowing.

Referring to the drawings and more'particu- 'larly to Fig. 1, I show a suction cleaner 20, mounted on wheels 22 and provided with a pivoted propelling handle 24. The cleaner comprises a floor cleaning nozzle 26 which is connected by a passage 28 and a throat 30 to a dust bag compartment 32. In the nozzle 26 is mounted a brush roll 34.

In the dust bag compartment 32 is a filter bag 36, the inlet end of which communicates with the throat 30. The filter bag 36 may be removed for emptying through an opening :(not shown). The compartment 32 communicates through an opening (not shown) with a discharge compartment 40, which houses a suction-creating device. The suction-creating device includes a motor fan unit generally'designated by the reftion 64 by a shoulder III.

cleaning tool (not shown).

erence numeral 42, with the shaft 43 of the motor rotating about a horizontal axis. The compartment 40 is provided with an outlet 44 formed in a wall of the fan motor unit housing 46. The

opening 46 communicates with an opening 50 in The opening 50 communia pendant wall 52. cates with the atmosphere through an opening 54 formed in the outer casing of the cleaner.

In order to render the cleaner thus far described convertible to attachment suction cleaning in an on-the-fioor or off-the-floor manner, or to attachmentblowing, I provide a passage 56 which is normally closed off from the passage 28 and throat 36, by a valve 58. The valve 58 is In the passage 56 is positioned a slide 62 which, as

will be seen from Figs, '7, 8 and 9, includes a reduced inner portion 64, having one side wall extended to form a finger 66, and an outer enlarged portion 68 separated from the reduced por- The slide 62 also carries a shutter I4 which, when the slide is in @its outermost position, is adapted to close the opening 56.

The enlarged portion '68 of the slide 62 is provided with an opening 16 formed in a side wall I8, the outer end of which is bevelled to form a cam 86. As shown in Fig. 9, the lower portion 82 of the side wall I8 is made thinner than the upper portion thereof, thus providing an outer surface ofiset inwardly from that of the upper portion.

The slide 62 is adapted .to assume one position when th cleaner is used for floor-nozzle cleaning, a second position when the cleaner is used for attachment suction cleaning, and a third position when the cleaner is used for attachment blowing. In order to actuate the slide 62, and

detachably .to connect it to an attachment hose,

1 'I use an adapter 86 which is shown detached in Figs. 4 to 6. The adapter 85 comprises an elongated conduit 88 terminating in a coupling 90 to l which is connected one end of an attachment hose 92,the other end of which carries a suitable On the top wall 94 of the adapter 86 is mounted a lever 96 which I is fulcrumed at 98 and biased in the direction of the arrows 99 by a spring I00. terminates at one end thereof in a pendant latch The lever 96 member I02 and at the other end thereof in a pendant grip portion I64. The pendant latch member I62 is adapted to be withdrawn, against the action of the spring I00, into a seat or recess I06 formed in a side wall I08 of the adapter 1 85. The lever and spring assembly are preferably concealed by a cover IIB secured to the top wall 94 by screws I I2. In several views, the cover III) is broken away so as to expose the lever and spring construction. When the adapter 86 is inserted into the'slide 62, the end I I4 thereof abuts against the shoulder 10.

In order to retain the slide 62 against accidenfioor-nozzle cleaning, and in order to interlock I22 in the side wall H8 and spaced notches or openings I24 and I26 in the wall I20. The side tal displacement while the cleaner is used for walls'II8 and I20 define an elongated trough in I which the lower end of the pendant latch I92 struck up from the top wall or shelf I28.

extension H9 which, when the cleaner is in the floor-nozzle cleaning position,.forms a continuation of the cam surface Bil (see Figs. 2 and 14) to guide and facilitate the insertion of the adaptor 86 into the slide 62. The wall I26 is extended to form a shelf member I28 on which is pivoted a latch member I30. The latch member I30 is biased by a spring I32 in the direction of the arrow I33 (Fig. 14) one end of the spring I32 being conveniently anchored by a post I34 The latching device I I6 is rigidly secured to the cleaner body in operative relation to the slide 62 and the adapter 86 by bolts or rivets I36 passing through a boss I 31 formed in the body of th cleaner to one side of the passage 56, as best shown in Fig. 15.

The compartment 40 is provided with a bottom opening I38 which, in the positions ofthe cleaner illustrated in Figs. 1 and 16, is closed by the top wall of the slide 62 but which, in the position of the cleaner illustrated in Fig. 18, is uncovered and communicates with the open end of the slide 62 for a purpose hereinafter set forth.

In order to raise the brush roll 54 out of contact with the surface being cleaned while the apparatus is used for attachment suction or blowing, the brush roll 34 is carried by an arm I40 which is biased upwardlyrby aspring I42. One end of the arm I 40 is pivoted at I44 to a portion of the nozzle wall and the other end thereof is pivoted to the core of a solenoid I46. The solenoid M6 is connected by wires I48 to a switch I50. The switch I56 includes a button I52 which is biased outwardly by a spring (not shown) to close the circuit and energize the solenoid I46. When energized, the solenoid I46 pulls the brush roll down into contact with. the surface being cleaned. The switch I 56 is so constructed and arranged that the button 552 is unaffected by movement of the handle 24 in its normal range of operation (Fig, l) but, when the handle is in a vertical position, the button I52 is Pushed inw'ardly by the lower portion of the handle (Fig. 3). In the inner position of the button I52, the circuit is broken, the solenoid is deenergized and the brush roll 34 is raised out of contact with the surface being cleaned by the spring I42 acting on the arm I40.

Operation-Fig. 1

.As shown in Fig. 1, the cleaner is adjusted for floor cleaning through the nozzle 26. In this position, the slide 62 is in a central or intermediate position so that its end 66 is out of contact with valve member 58 which is biased by the spring 60 into the position closing the passage 56 from the throat 36 and the suction-creating device 42.

Likewise, the shutter I4 does not close the opening 56, and. the opening I38 is closed by the vtop Wall of the slide 62. The solenoid I461is energized and the brush roll 34 is in contact with the surface being cleaned. In this position, the air drawn by the suction device '42 travels through the nozzle 26, passage 28, throat 30, dust bag 36, into the discharge compartment 46 through the fan inlet, and out through the openings 44, 50 and 54. The slide 62 is retained in this position by the latch I30 engaging in the opening I6, as shown in Fig. 2. I v Conversion When it is desired to convert the deans} 'to 5 attachment suction or attachment blowing, the adapter 86 is inserted into the slide 62 in the direction of the arrow I55 in Fig. 2. During the insertion of the adapter 86 into the slide 62, the outwardly-projecting latch $02 rides on the cam surface 88 (best shown in Fig. 2). As the adapter 85 progressively moves into the slide 62, the latch I02 is automatically forced into the seat IE8 in the side wall E of the adapter 86. When the adapter 36 and slide 62 are in the position illustrated in Fig. 14, in which the opening 16 is in registration with the opening I22, the latch I02 is biased outwardly by the spring 100, which is stronger than the spring #32, to push the latch I30 out of the opening '10. The slide 62 and adapter 85 are now latched together by engagement of the horizontal portion I56 of the latch with the walls of the opening 16, and are free to move as a unit with the lower portion of the latch I02 sliding against the wall I20. As will be seen from Figs. 9 and 15, the wall N8 of the latching device H6 slidably abuts against the lower reduced portion 62 of the side wall 18 of the slide 62, while the latch I30 rides upon the outer face of the upper portion of the latch I02 or on the surface of the thick portion of the wall 18 above the shoulder 84.

Attachment suction cleaning it it is desired to use the cleaner for attachment suction cleaning, the slide 62 and adapter 86 are moved to the innermost position, shown in Figs. 16 and 17. In this position, the finger B6 of the slide 62 engages and actuates the valve 58 from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 15, in which the floor nozzle 26 is cut oil from the throat 30, and in which the throat 30 is now in communication with the interior of the passage 56, slide 62, adapter 86 and the attachment hose Q2. In this position, the latch I02 is engaged in the notch I24 to prevent accidental movement of the slide and adapter. The air is now drawn into the dust bag 36 through the attachment hose 92 and is discharged through the openings 4 so and 54, as shown by the arrows in Fig. 16.

Attachment blowing Assuming that it is desired to convert the cleaner from attachment suction cleanin to attachment blowing, it is merely necessary to press the grip portion i0 of the lever 9.6 inwardly to retract the latch I02 from the opening I24. Thereupon, the lower portion of the latch m2 can slide freely in the trough between the walls H8 and I oi the latching device H6, and the interlocked slide 02 and adapter 86 are moved to the right in Fig. 18 until the shutterv I4 closes the opening 58. In this position, the opening I38 is uncovered and communicates with the passage 58 and the valve 58 closes the passage 55 from the threat 3? Air is now drawn by the suction device '52, through the nozzle 26, in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 18 and, since the discharge opening is closed by the shutter M, the filtered air is discarged through the opening I38 into the passage 56 and through the slide 62, the adapter 36 and the attachment hose 92. To guard against accidental displacement of the slide 52 and adapter 38 from this position, the latch Hi2 engages the opening I23 in the latching device-I I6.

If the cleaner is to be converted directly from floor cleaning to attachment blowing, the slide 62 and adapter d6 are inserted as shown in Fig. 2,

but "instead of being ;moved:inwardly to-th'e position shown in Fig. 16, they are moved outwardly to the position shown inFig. 18. i

To reconvert the cleaner from either attachment suction or attachment blowing to floor-nozzle cleaning, the latch I02 is withdrawn from the opening 12s or iii; and the slide and adapter'are moved back as a unit to the central position illustrated'in Fig. 2, inwhich the latch I02 is retracted through the opening I22. The adapter 86 may now be withdrawn, and, as the latch I02 is retracted through the opening I22, the latch I30, biased by the spring I32, immediately enters the opening it in the wall I8 of the slide to lock the latter in the intermediate or floor-nozzle cleaning position.

It will thus be seen that the construction is such that it is impossible for the operator to withdraw the adapter 8c without first bringing the adapter and the slide to the floor cleaning position of Fig.

2 and that simultaneously with the retraction of devised a suction cleanerwhich is readily converted to attachment cleaning or attachment blowing by mere insertion of an adapter attached to one end of an attaohment'hose, and by moving the adapter to an extreme inner or extreme outer position to adjust the cleaner to attachment suction or attachment blowing, respectively.

While I have shown my invention in several forms, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various other changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore. that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

i. A suction cleaner comprising a suction-creating device, a floor nozzle communicating with the low pressure side of said device, there being a normally open outlet leading fromthe highpressure side of said suction-creating device to the atmosphere, means carried by said cleaner and forming a passage, a hollow, open-ended slide movable into inoperative and operative positions in said passage, there being an opening in said passage leading to the high-pressure side of said suction-creating device, said opening being normally closed by a wall of said slide when said slide is in its inoperative position, a hollow, openended adapter internally connected to an extension hose and insertable into said slide, valve means carried by said slide and operative to close said outlet, and means for integrating said adapter and said slide for joint movement from one position to another within said passage, said adapter, slide, said opening and said valve means being so constructed and arranged that the movement of said slide from its inoperative to its operative position closes'saidoutlet and establishes communication between said passage and the higlnpressure side of said device. 1

g 2. "The combination with a suction cleaner ineluding a suctioii-creating device and a floor nozzle normally connected with the low-pressure side of said suction-creating device, there being an outlet leading from the high-pressure side of said suction-creating device to the atmosphere, of means for converting said cleaner from nozzle cleaning to attachment suction orv attachment blowing, including a hollow, open-ended slide carried by said'cleaner and movable into one inoperative: and two operative'positions, means operable upon movement of said slide from said inoperative position to one of said operative positions to shut said nozzle off from said suctioncreating device and to connect said slide to the low-pressure side of said suction-creating device,

and upon movement of said slide from said inoperative position to the other of said operative positions to close said outlet and to connect said slide to the high-pressure side of said suctioncreating device, a hollow, open-ended adapter connected interiorly to an attachment hose and,

insertable into said slide, and means for integrating s'aid slide and said adapter for joint movement from one position to another.

3. The structure recited in claim 2 together -With means for locking said slide in its inoperative position and means for locking said slide and said adapter'in either'of said operative positions.

4. The combination with a suction cleaner including a suction-creating device, there being a normallyopen outlet leading from the high-pressure side of said suction-creating device to the atmosphere, a floor nozzle, means carried by said cleaner and forming a passage, and a valve for selectively connecting said passage or said nozzle to the low pressure side of said device, of-means for converting said cleaner from floor-nozzle cleaning to attachment suction or attachment blowing including a hollow open-ended slide movable in said passage, said slide having one inoperative and. two operative positions, means operable upon movement of said slide to one of its operative positions to connect said slide to the low pressure side of said device, means operable by movement of said slide to its other operative: position to close said outlet and to connect said slide to the high pressure side of said suctioncreating device, locking means for retaining said slide in its inoperative position when the cleaner is used for floor-nozzle cleaning, a hollow, openended adapter connected to an attachment hose and insertableinto said slide, means carried by said adapter for disengaging said locking means and for integrating said slide and said adapter for joint movement from said inoperative to either of said operative positions, and means for locking said slide and said adapter in either of said positions. I

5. The structure recited in claim 4 in which i i said adapter, slide and locking means are so constructed and arranged that said adapter cannot be removed from said slide except when the latter is in its inoperative position and in which said;

open-ended slide movable into one inoperative and two operative positions in said passage, there being a normally open outlet leading from the 1 high-pressure side of said suction device to the atmosphere, and an opening leading from the high pressure side of said device to said passage, said opening being normally closed by a wall of said slide in one position thereof, a tubular, openended adapter connected. to an extension hose and insertable into said slide, and means for integrating said adapter and said slide for joint movement from said inoperative position to either of said operative positions within said passage, said adapter and said slide being so constructed and arranged that in one operative position thereof, said valve is actuated to shut said nozzle off from and to connect said slide, adapter and hoseto the low pressure side of said device, andin another position of said slide and adapter, said outlet is closed and said opening communicates with said slide, adapter and hose.

"7. The combination with a suction cleaner including a suction-creating device, a fioor cleaning nozzle normally communicating with the lowpressure side of said suction-creating device, there being an outlet leading from the high-pressure side of said suction-creating device to the atmosphere, of means for rendering said suction cleaner convertible from floor nozzle suction to attachment suction or attachment blowing comprising means carried by said casing defining a passage, a valve for selectively connecting said nozzle or saidpassage to the low-pressure side of said suction-creatingdevice, a hollow openended slide movable in said passage to one inoperative and two operative positions, there being an opening leadingfrom the high-pressure side of said suction-creating device to said passage, said opening being closed by a wall of said slide in certain positions thereof, there being a side opening in a Wall of said slide, a latch disposed near said passage and adapted to engage said side opening in said slide when said slide is in its inoperative position, a hollow open-ended adapter connected to an extension hose and insertable into said slide, a latch carried by said adapter and adapted to project through said side opening in said slide to disengage said slide from said first-mentioned latch and to integrate said adapter and said slide for joint movement from one position to another within said passage, a locking device also disposed near said passage, there being one notch in said locking device adapted to be engaged by said second-mentioned latch in one operative position of said slide and another notch adapted to be engaged by said second-mentioned latch in the other operative position of said slide, and a shutter carried by said slide and adapted in one operativ position of said slide to close said outlet.

8. The combination with a suction cleaner including a suction-creating device, a floor cleaning suction nozzle normally communicating with the low pressure side of said suction creating device, of means for rendering said suction cleaner convertible from floor nozzle suction cleaning to attachment suction cleaning or to attachment blowing comprising means defining a passage, a valve for selectively connecting said nozzle or said passage to the low pressure side of said suctioncreatingdevice, a member movable in said passage to one inoperative and two operative positions, there being an opening leading from the high pressure side of said suction-creating device to said passage, said opening being closed by a wall of said member in certain positions thereof, there being an aperture insaid member, a latch disposed near said passage and adapted to engage said aperture when said member is in its inoperative position, an adapter connected to anextension hose and insertable into said passage, a latch carried by said adapter and adapted to project through said aperture to disengage said member from saidfirst-mentioned latch and to integrate said adapter and said member for joint movement from one position to another within :said passage and a locking device also disposed nearsaid passage, there being one notch in said locking device adapted to be engaged by said second-mentioned latch in one operative position of said member and another notch adapted to be engaged by said second-mentioned latch in'the other operative position of said member.

9. The combination with a suction cleaner including a casing, a suction device in said casing, and a floor nozzle carried by said casing and adapted to be presented to a floor surface to be cleaned, said nozzle being normally connected to the low pressure side of said suction device, of means for converting said cleaner from floor nozzle operation to operation through an attachment hose, said means including a wall structure carried by said casing and definin a passage, a valve movable selectively to connect said nozzle or said passage to the low pressure side of said suction device, a member disposed in a first position in said passage, which position corresponds to the floor nozzle operation of the cleaner, means latching said member in said first position, means causing said valve, in said first positionof said member, to shut said passage from, and to connect said nozzle to, the low pressure side of said suction device, an adapter connected to an attachment hose and connectible to said passage, means operable by connection of said adapter with said passage for disengaging said latching means to permit movement of said member to a second position, means operable by movement of said member to said second position to actuate said valve to shut said nozzle ofi from, and to'connect said passage and said attachment hose to, the low pressure side of said suction device, means for latching said member in said second position, and means for preventing disconnection of said adapter from said passage when said member is out of said first position.

10. The structure recited in claim 9 in which said member is moved from one position to the other by said adapter.

11. The combination with a suction cleaner including a casing, a suction device in said casing, and a floor nozzle carried by said casing and adapted to be presented to a floor surface to be cleaned, said nozzle being normally connected to the low pressure side of said suction device, there being an outlet leading from the high pressure side of said device to the atmosphere, of means for converting said cleaner from floor nozzle suc tion cleaning to suction cleaning or blowing through an attachment hose, said means including a wall structure carried by said casing and defining a passage, a valve movable selectively to connect said nozzle or said passage to the low pressure side of said suction device, a member disposed in a first position in said passage, means for latching said member in said first position, means causing said valve, in said first position of said member, to shut said passage from, and to connect said nozzle to, the low, pressure side of said suction device, valve means operable, in said first position of said member, to connect'the high pressure side of said suction device to the atmosphere, an adapter connected to an attachment hose and connectible to said passage, means operable by connection of said adapter with said passage for disengaging said latching means to permit movement of said member to a second position, means operable by movement of said member to said second position to actuate said valve to shut said nozzle off from, and to connect said passage and said attachment hose to, the low pressure side of said suction device, means for latching said member in said second position, said member being movable to a third position, means causing said valve means, in said third position of said member to shut said outlet and to connect said passage and said attachment hose to the high pressure side of said suction device, means for latching said member in said third po-' sition, and means for preventing disconnection of said adapter from said passage when said member is out of said first position.

' CHARLES H. TAYLOR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

